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OEWD outlines $91M two‑year budget and $28.1M ‘Building Back Stronger’ RFP focused on racial employment equity
Summary
The Office of Economic and Workforce Development presented a FY21–23 budget and a $28.1 million RFP to fund workforce pilots, neighborhood job centers and Dreamkeeper investments targeting Black, Latinx and other communities disproportionately harmed by the pandemic.
The Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) presented its two‑year budget and a new workforce RFP to the Budget & Appropriations Committee on March 10, describing pandemic relief measures and a shift toward racially targeted workforce investments.
Acting Director Anne Topier told the committee OEWD has directed pandemic relief to “support and empower San Francisco’s most vulnerable and most impacted job seekers,” citing roughly $24 million delivered to over 1,230 small businesses through loans and grants and $17.7 million for worker safety programs. Topier said the office’s recovery work is shaped by community input gathered via three budget town halls.
CFO Merrick Pasquale summarized proposed totals: about $91 million for FY2021–22 (a decline from the prior year) and $90 million for FY2022–23, driven by salary and benefit increases, reduced film‑rebate spending and expiration of one‑time add‑backs. He said OEWD met the mayor’s general‑fund reduction target and highlighted programmatic changes in youth employment and Opportunities for All initiatives.
Director Joshua Arce introduced the Building Back Stronger RFP, a $28.1 million initiative to advance principles of employment equity identified by community stakeholders. Arce said roughly $22 million is general‑fund support (including a $6 million allocation drawn from the Dreamkeeper Initiative), $4.7 million is federal (WIOA/CDBG) and $1.4 million is state/local or other funds. The RFP prioritizes multi‑year grants, neighborhood job centers, pilots for industries of opportunity, and investments to close Black unemployment gaps.
OEWD also described COVID relief and community hub investments, including work that supported testing, vaccine outreach and low‑barrier quarantine resources. The department emphasized coordination with community‑based organizations in the Mission, Bayview, Excelsior and other neighborhoods and said it would continue technical assistance through the RFP period.
Supervisors asked for more detail on small‑business recipients and remaining balances in loans and grants; OEWD staff said they would provide a comprehensive list and distribution figures. Supervisors also asked about Invest in Neighborhoods and construction mitigation funds; OEWD said details and remaining balances would be provided in follow‑up.
No public callers spoke on Item 2. Chair Haney moved to file the hearing; the motion was seconded and approved 5–0 on a roll‑call vote. OEWD said it will return with additional program detail and distribution lists.
